Marking apparatus used for creating lines on a surface

ABSTRACT

A marking apparatus including: a plurality of connectable pieces, wherein each connectable piece includes at least one of protruding portions or recessed portions, wherein a shape of the protruding portions is substantially similar to a shape of the recessed portions, such that the protruding portions of a first connectable piece are insertable into the recessed portions of a second connectable piece to form an interlocking connection between the first and second connectable pieces.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 63/138,162 filed Jan. 15, 2021 and entitled“MARKING APPARATUS USED FOR CREATING A SPORTS PLAYING SURFACE”, theentire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to a markingapparatus used for creating lines on a surface.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various sporting events are governed in part by the structure of aplaying surface of the sporting event. For example, lines on the playingsurface may define the boundaries of the playing area or define when aplayer scores a point in the sporting event. The lengths, shapes,positioning, and other characteristics of the lines on the playingsurface can have specified measurements (e.g., regulation measurements)that may be defined by the official rules of the sporting event. Playingsurfaces at many locations (e.g., gymnasiums, public parks, professionalstadiums, etc.) may have the playing surface lines drawn by commercialservice providers, which have the expertise and resources to draw thelines accurately according to the regulation measurements. In addition,sports players can also create personal playing surfaces at home orother private locations to practice or play the sport privately.However, sports players may not have the same expertise and resources ascommercial service providers to create the playing surface with linesaccurately drawn according to the regulation measurements. A markingapparatus can be helpful for quickly and accurately creating a playingsurface at homes and other private locations.

SUMMARY

Aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward amarking apparatus used for creating lines on a surface.

According to some example embodiments of the present disclosure, amarking apparatus including: a key section including a plurality of keysection pieces, wherein each key section piece includes at least one ofprotruding portions or recessed portions, and wherein the plurality ofkey section pieces are configured to be coupled with each other; and athree-point arc section including a plurality of three-point arc sectionpieces, wherein each three-point arc section piece includes at least oneof protruding portions or recessed portions, and wherein the pluralityof three-point arc section pieces are configured to be coupled with eachother.

According to some example embodiments, each key section piece and eachthree-point arc section piece further includes one or more openings.

According to some example embodiments, a shape of the one or moreopenings is substantially rectangular.

According to some example embodiments, a shape of the protrudingportions of the key section pieces is substantially similar to a shapeof the recessed portions of the key section pieces, such that theprotruding portions of a first key section piece are insertable into therecessed portions of a second key section piece to form an interlockingconnection.

According to some example embodiments, a shape of the protrudingportions of the three-point arc section pieces is substantially similarto a shape of the recessed portions of the three-point arc sectionpieces, such that the protruding portions of a first key three-point arcsection piece are insertable into the recessed portions of a secondthree-point arc section piece to form an interlocking connection.

According to some example embodiments, the marking the key sectionfurther includes a plurality of key section alignment pieces, whereineach alignment piece includes an alignment indentation.

According to some example embodiments, the plurality of key sectionpieces and the plurality of three-point arc section pieces includecardboard material.

According to some example embodiments, the plurality of key sectionpieces and the plurality of three-point arc section pieces each includesan identifier.

According to some example embodiments, the identifier is a letter.

According to some example embodiments of the present disclosures, amarking apparatus including: a plurality of connectable pieces, whereineach connectable piece includes at least one of protruding portions orrecessed portions, wherein a shape of the protruding portions issubstantially similar to a shape of the recessed portions, such that theprotruding portions of a first connectable piece are insertable into therecessed portions of a second connectable piece to form an interlockingconnection between the first and second connectable pieces.

According to some example embodiments, each connectable piece furtherincludes one or more openings.

According to some example embodiments, a shape of the one or moreopenings is substantially rectangular.

According to some example embodiments, the marking apparatus furtherincludes a plurality of connectable alignment pieces, wherein eachconnectable alignment piece includes an alignment indentation.

According to some example embodiments, the plurality of connectiblepieces include cardboard material.

According to some example embodiments, each connectible piece includesan identifier.

According to some example embodiments, the identifier includes a letter.

According to some example embodiments of the present disclosure, in amethod for drawing lines on a surface using a marking apparatus, themethod including: assembling the marking apparatus including a pluralityof connectible pieces, wherein each connectible piece includes one ormore openings and an identifier; placing the marking apparatus on thesurface; drawing lines on the surface by tracing the one or moreopenings of the plurality of connectible pieces of the marking apparatususing a drawing device; and removing the marking apparatus from thesurface.

According to some example embodiments, assembling the marking apparatusincludes coupling each connectable piece of the plurality of connectiblepieces to another one of the connectible pieces according to theidentifier of each connectable piece.

According to some example embodiments, each connectable piece furtherincludes at least one of protruding portions or recessed portions.

According to some example embodiments, a shape of the protrudingportions is substantially similar to a shape of the recessed portions,such that the protruding portions of a first connectable piece areinsertable into the recessed portions of a second connectible piece toform an interlocking connection between the first and second connectablepieces.

According to some example embodiments, a shape of the one or moreopenings is substantially rectangular.

According to some example embodiments, the plurality of connectablepieces further includes a plurality of connectable alignment pieces,wherein each connectable alignment piece includes an alignmentindentation.

According to some example embodiments, the plurality of connectiblepieces include cardboard material.

According to some example embodiments, the identifier includes a letter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a marking apparatus for creating a half-courtbasketball playing surface according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of the key section of the marking apparatusaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged portion X of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of the three point arc and the key section of themarking apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged portion Y of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows a diagram of a full pickle ball playing surface accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a diagram of a half pickle ball playing surface accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein aredirected to a marking apparatus used for creating lines on a surface.

Features of the inventive concept and methods of accomplishing the samemay be understood more readily by reference to the following detaileddescription of embodiments and the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter,embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers refer to likeelements throughout. The present disclosure, however, may be embodied invarious different forms, and should not be construed as being limited toonly the illustrated embodiments herein. Rather, these embodiments areprovided as examples so that this disclosure will be thorough andcomplete, and will fully convey the aspects and features of the presentdisclosure to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, processes,elements, and techniques that are not necessary to those having ordinaryskill in the art for a complete understanding of the aspects andfeatures of the present disclosure may not be described. Unlessotherwise noted, like reference numerals denote like elements throughoutthe attached drawings and the written description, and thus,descriptions thereof will not be repeated. The drawings are notnecessarily to scale and the relative sizes of elements, layers, andregions shown may be exaggerated for clarity.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a marking apparatus usedfor creating lines on a surface. For example, according to variousembodiments, the marking apparatus can be used to draw lines on varioustypes of sports playing surfaces, including, but not limited to,concrete surfaces, grass surfaces, hardwood surfaces, or asphaltsurfaces. The measurement and shapes of the lines can align with theregulation measurements defined by the official rules of a particularsport. Some of the sports may include basketball, tennis, volleyball,pickle ball, or other sports. For example, the official rules forbasketball may state that a free throw line on a playing surface must be15 feet away from a basketball rim. Other potential applications for theinvention may not be related to sports at all, where embodiments of theinvention can facilitate an easy and consistent way for marking surfacesfor various other non-sports applications as well.

According to various embodiments, the marking apparatus can be made upof a number of individual pieces (e.g., connectable pieces). Theindividual pieces can be made up of various materials, including, butnot limited to, cardboard, aluminum, steel, wood, Mylar, andpolycarbonate. Additionally, the pieces can be made according to varyingsizes and shapes. In some embodiments, the shape of the pieces canincorporate protruding portions (e.g., a male end) and recessed/concaveportions (e.g., a female end). Some pieces may have both protrudingportions and recessed/concave portions, while other pieces may only haveprotruding portions or only have recessed/concave portions. The shape ofthe male end can have a shape (e.g., a curvature) that corresponds tothe shape of the female end (e.g., matches or follows the contour of thefemale end). The pieces can form an interlocking connection with eachother by sliding or otherwise inserting the male end of a first pieceinto the female end of a second piece. The interlocking connection cansecure the pieces in place and can resist any lateral force pulling thepieces away from each other.

Additionally, each piece may incorporate one or more holes (e.g.,openings) traversing through the piece. In some embodiments, the holesmay traverse through the middle of the piece. In some embodiments, theshape of the holes may be substantially rectangular and can be spacedapart from each other on the piece. The holes can expose the playingsurface underneath and can be used to trace the lines of the markingapparatus onto the playing surface using a writing device. In someembodiments, the lines can be drawn on the playing surface by usingspray paint over the holes or the lines can be drawn by tracing theholes with chalk. Further, each piece can be labeled with an identifiersuch as letters A, B, C, D, etc. The identifiers can be displayed on thepieces and may be used to indicate the location of the piece within themarking apparatus.

According to various embodiments, the marking apparatus can be used todraw lines for a half-court basketball playing surface, but the presentinvention is not limited thereto. In this embodiment, the markingapparatus may be made up of a key section and a three point arc. The keysection can be assembled by connecting the pieces (e.g., key sectionpieces) to each other according to identifiers displayed on the pieces.After the key section is assembled, the key section can be moved (e.g.,slide along the playing surface) as a single unit. In some embodiments,some pieces making up the key section can have alignment indentations(e.g., key section alignment pieces). The indentations can be used toalign the key section with the basketball rim and backboard.Additionally, ends of some pieces that are positioned at the ends of thekey section may also be used to align the key section with thebasketball rim and backboard. When the key section is aligned with thebasketball rim and backboard, the measurements of the lines of the keysection should align to basketball regulation measurements.

Similarly, the three point arc section can be assembled by connectingpieces (e.g., three-point arc section piece) to each other according toidentifiers displayed on the pieces. After the three point arc isassembled, the three point arc can be moved as a single unit. In someembodiments, some of the pieces making up the three point arc can alsohave alignment indentations (e.g., three-point arc section alignmentpieces). The alignment indentations can be used to align the three pointarc with the key section and the basketball rim. Additionally, ends ofsome pieces that are positioned at the ends of the three-point arcsection may also be used to align the three-point arc with the keysection and the basketball rim. When the three-point arc is aligned withthe basketball rim and key section, the measurements of the lines of thethree-point arc should align to basketball regulation measurements.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a marking apparatus for creating a half-courtbasketball playing surface according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a marking apparatus 100 can be used to create ahalf-court basketball playing surface with lines that align with abackboard 150 and a basketball rim 160. The marking apparatus 100 can beused to draw lines on various types of playing surfaces, including butnot limited to, concrete surfaces, grass surfaces, hardwood surfaces, orasphalt surfaces. Various embodiments of the marking apparatus 100 mayincorporates shapes, sizes, and measurements that can be consistent withvarious basketball playing surface regulation measurements (e.g.,distance of free throw line 131 from the backboard 150, distance of thethree point arc 120 from the basketball rim 160, etc.). For example, insome embodiments, the marking apparatus 100 may be consistent with highschool basketball regulation measurements. In other embodiments, themarking apparatus 100 may be consistent with NCAA or NBA regulationmeasurements. In some embodiments, the marking apparatus 100 may includea three point arc 120 and a key section 130. In some embodiments, thethree point arc 120 and the key section 130 may be separate sections(e.g., not connected to each other) and can be moved separate from eachother. The three point arc 120 may be positioned adjacent to the keysection 130 or overlapping the top portion of the key section 130.

According to various embodiments, the marking apparatus 100 can be madeup of a number of pieces 140 (e.g., connectable pieces). The pieces 140can be made up of various materials, including, but not limited to,cardboard, aluminum, steel, wood, Mylar, and polycarbonate.Additionally, the pieces 140 can be made according to varying sizes andshapes. The sizes and shapes of the pieces 140 can depend on thelocation of the pieces 140 within the marking apparatus 100. Forexample, some of the pieces 140 that make up the three point arc 120 mayhave different sizes and shapes than the pieces 140 that make up thefree throw line 131. In some embodiments, the shapes of the pieces 140may incorporate protruding portions 142 (e.g., a male end) andincorporate recessed/concave portions 143 (e.g., a female end). Somepieces 140 may have both male ends 142 and female ends 143 while otherpieces 140 may only have male ends 142 or only have female ends 143. Theshape of the male end 142 can have a shape (e.g., a curvature) thatcorresponds to the shape of the female end 143 (e.g., matches or followsthe contour of the female end). The pieces 140 can form an interlockingconnection with other pieces 140 by sliding or otherwise inserting themale end 142 of a first piece 140 into the female end 143 of a secondpiece. The interlocking connection can secure the pieces 140 in placeand can resist any lateral force pulling the pieces 140 away from eachother.

In addition, each of the pieces 140 can include one or more holes 110(e.g., openings) that traverse through each piece 140. In someembodiments, the one or more holes 110 may traverse through a middle ofeach piece 140. In some embodiments, the shape of the holes 110 can besubstantially rectangular and the holes 110 can be spaced apart fromeach other on the piece 140. The holes 110 can expose the playingsurface underneath and can be used to trace the lines of the markingapparatus 110 onto the playing surface using a drawing device. In someembodiments, the lines can be drawn on the playing surface by usingspray paint over the holes 110 or the lines can be drawn by tracing theholes with chalk.

Further, each piece 140 can be labeled with an identifier 141 such asletters A, B, C, D, etc. The identifier 141 can be displayed directly onthe piece 140 and can be used to indicate the location of the piece 140within the marking apparatus 100. For example, a piece 140 labeled withthe letter J as its identifier 141 can be used as one of the pieces 140that make up the three point arc 120. In another example, a piece 140labeled with the letter H as its identifier 141 can be used as one ofthe pieces 140 that make up the free throw line 131. Additionally, somepieces 140 may also include alignment indentations 151 (e.g., alignmentpiece) that can be used to align the marking apparatus 100 with thebackboard 150 and the basketball rim 160.

After all of the pieces 140 of the marking apparatus 100 have beenconnected, the key section 130 can be moved (e.g., slide along theplaying surface) as a single unit and the three point arc 120 can eachbe moved as a single unit. The key section 130 and the three point arc120 can be moved with respect to the backboard 150 and the basketballrim 160 such that the lines of the key section 130 and the lines of thethree point arc 120 are the regulation distances away from the backboard150 and the basketball rim 160. To help ensure that the key section 130and the three point arc 120 are positioned at the regulation distances,some pieces 140 can incorporate alignment indentations 151. For example,the key section 130 can be moved in order to align the alignmentindentations 151 with a chalk line 155. Additionally, the key section130 can be moved in order to align with ends 152 with the baseline 165.Further, the three point arc 120 can be moved in order to align ends 170with ends 152 of the key section 130 and the baseline 165.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of the key section of the marking apparatusaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the key section 130 can be made up of a number ofpieces 140. The pieces 140 can be made up of various materials,including, but not limited to, cardboard, aluminum, steel, wood, Mylar,and polycarbonate. Additionally, the pieces 140 can be made according tovarying sizes and shapes. The sizes and shapes of the pieces 140 candepend on the location of the pieces 140 within the key section 130. Forexample, some of the pieces 140 that make up the curved portions of thekey section 130 may have different sizes and shapes than the pieces 140that make up the free throw line 131. In some embodiments, the shapes ofthe pieces 140 may incorporate protruding portions 142 (e.g., a maleend) and incorporate recessed/concave portions 143 (e.g., a female end).Some pieces 140 may have both male ends 142 and female ends 143 whileother pieces 140 may only have male ends 142 or only have female ends143. The shape of the male end 142 can have a curvature that correspondsto the shape of the female end 143 (e.g., matches or follows the contourof the female end). The pieces 140 can form an interlocking connectionwith other pieces 140 by sliding or otherwise inserting the male end 142of a first piece 140 into the female end 143 of a second piece. Theinterlocking connection can secure the pieces 140 in place and canresist any lateral force pulling the pieces away from each other. Thekey section 130 can be assembled by connecting the pieces 140 togethervia this interlocking connection mechanism.

Further, each piece 140 can be labeled with an identifier 141 such asletters A, B, C, D, etc. The identifier 141 can be displayed directly onthe piece 140 and can be used to indicate the location of the piece 140within the key section 130. Additionally, each of the pieces 140 caninclude one or more holes 110 that traverse through each piece 140. Insome embodiments, the one or more holes 110 can traverse through themiddle of each piece 140. In some embodiments, the shape of the holes110 can be substantially rectangular and the holes 110 can be spacedapart from each other on the piece 140. The holes 110 can expose theplaying surface underneath and can be used to trace the lines of the keysection 130 onto the playing surface.

After the pieces 140 of the key section 130 have been connected via theinterlocking connection mechanism, the key section 130 can be moved as asingle unit. In some embodiments, the key section 130 can be alignedwith the basketball rim 160 and the backboard 150, by moving the keysection 130 to align the alignment indentations 151 with a chalk line155 and align the ends 152 with the baseline 165. The chalk line 155 canbe parallel to the backboard and can be drawn by first tying one end ofa string or rope around the back of the basketball rim 160 (e.g., theportion of the basketball rim 160 that is connected to the backboard150) and tying the opposite end of the string to a weighted object(e.g., a plumb, a washer, etc.). The weighted end of the string can thenbe dropped down to the playing surface. The location of where weightedend drops on the playing surface can be marked with an object such as apiece of tape. A chalk line 155 can then be drawn over the location ofthe tape. The key section 130 can be aligned by moving the key section130 such that the alignment indentations 151 align with the chalk line155. After the key section 130 is aligned with the basketball rim 160and the backboard 150, the distances of the lines of the key section 130should be consistent with regulation measurements for a half-courtbasketball playing surface.

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged portion X of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 3, the displayed pieces 140 can be used to form aportion of the key section 130. The pieces 140 can include an identifier141 that can be displayed directly on the pieces 140 and can be used toindicate the location of the piece 140 within the key section 130. Forexample, a first piece 140 may have the letter A as its identifier 141(e.g., A piece 140) and the identifier 141 can be displayed directly onthe A piece 140. A second piece 140 may have the letter B as itsidentifier 141 (e.g., B piece 140) and the identifier 141 can bedisplayed directly on the B piece 140.

In some embodiments, the shape of the A piece 140 can incorporate a maleend 142. In some embodiments, the shape of the B piece can incorporateboth a female end 143 and a male end 142. The shape of the male end 142can have a curvature that corresponds to the shape of the female end143. The A and B pieces 140 can form an interlocking connection bysliding or otherwise inserting the male end 142 of the A piece into thefemale end 143 of the B piece 140. The interlocking connection cansecure the A and B pieces 140 in place and can resist any lateral forcepulling the A and B pieces 140 away from each other.

As shown in FIG. 3, the A and B pieces 140 can have one or more holes110 that traverse through the A and B pieces 140 that expose the playingsurface underneath. In some embodiments, the one or more holes 110 cantraverse through the middle of the A and B pieces 140. In someembodiments, the shape of the holes 110 can be substantially rectangularand the holes 110 can be spaced apart from each other on the A and Bpieces 140. For example, the one or more holes 110 on the A piece can bespaced apart from each other. Similarly, the one or more holes 110 onthe B piece can be spaced apart from each other. The holes 110 canexpose the playing surface underneath and can be used to trace the linesof the marking apparatus 110 onto the playing surface. In someembodiments, the lines can be drawn on the playing surface by usingspray paint over the holes 110 or the lines can be drawn by tracing theholes with chalk.

Additionally, the A piece 140 can have ends 152 and the B piece 140 canhave alignment indentations 151. The alignment indentations 151 and ends152 can be used to help align the key section 130 with the backboard 150and the basketball rim 160. For example, the alignment indentations 151can be aligned with the chalk line 155 as described previously and theends 152 can be aligned with the baseline 165 as described previously.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of the three point arc and the key section of themarking apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the three point arc 120 can be made up of a numberof pieces 140. The pieces 140 can be made up of various materials,including, but not limited to, cardboard, aluminum, steel, wood, Mylar,and polycarbonate. Additionally, the pieces 140 can be made according tovarying sizes and shapes. The sizes and shapes of the pieces 140 candepend on the location of the pieces 140 within the three point arc 120.For example, some of the pieces 140 that make up the middle portion ofthe three point arc 120 may have different sizes and shapes than thepieces 140 that make up the end portions of the three point arc 120. Insome embodiments, the shapes of the pieces 140 may incorporateprotruding portions 142 (e.g., a male end) and incorporaterecessed/concave portions 143 (e.g., a female end). The shape of themale end 142 can have a curvature that corresponds to the shape of thefemale end 143 (e.g., matches or follows the contour of the female end).The pieces 140 can form an interlocking connection with other pieces 140by sliding or otherwise inserting the male end 142 of a first piece 140into the female end 143 of a second piece. The interlocking connectioncan secure the pieces 140 in place and can resist any lateral forcepulling the pieces away from each other. In some embodiments, asdescribed in greater detail with respect to FIG. 5 below, the shapes ofthe interlocking pieces may restrict side-to-side movement betweeninterconnected pieces, but may not necessarily restrict the pieces frombeing pulled away from one another. Various other shapes may also beincorporated into the connection mechanism based on the needs of eachparticular application. The three point arc 120 can be assembled byconnecting the pieces 140 together via any such connection mechanism.

Further, each piece 140 can be labeled with an identifier 141 such asletters A, B, C, D, etc. The identifier 141 can be displayed directly onthe piece 140 and can be used to indicate the location of the piece 140within the three point arc 120. Additionally, each of the pieces 140 caninclude one or more holes 110 that traverse through each piece 140. Insome embodiments, the shape of the holes 110 can be substantiallyrectangular and the holes 110 can be spaced apart from each other on thepiece 140. The holes 110 can expose the playing surface underneath andcan be used to trace the lines of the three point arc 120 onto theplaying surface.

After the pieces 140 of the three point arc 120 have been connected viathe interlocking connection mechanism, the three point arc 120 can bemoved as a single unit. In some embodiments, the three point arc 120 canbe aligned with the key section 120 and the basketball rim 160, bymoving the three point arc 120 to align ends 170 with the ends 152 ofthe key section 130. After the tree point arc 120 is aligned with thekey section 130 and the basketball rim 160, the distances of the linesof the three point arc should be consistent with regulation measurementsfor a half-court basketball playing surface.

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged portion Y of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 5, the displayed pieces 140 can be used to form aportion of the three point arc 120. The piece 140 can include anidentifier 141 that can be displayed directly on the piece 140 and canbe used to indicate the location of the piece 140 within the three pointarc 130. For example, a first piece 140 may have the letter M as itsidentifier 141 (e.g., M piece 140) and the identifier 141 can bedisplayed directly on the M piece 140. A second piece 140 may have theletter L as its identifier 141 (e.g., L piece 140) and the identifier141 can be displayed directly on the L piece 140.

In some embodiments, the shape of the L piece 140 can incorporate afemale end 143. In some embodiments, the shape of the M piece canincorporate both a male end 142 and a female end 143. The shape of themale end 142 can have a curvature that corresponds to the shape of thefemale end 143. The L and M pieces 140 can form an interlockingconnection by sliding or otherwise inserting the male end 142 of the Mpiece into the female end 143 of the L piece 140. The interlockingconnection can secure the L and M pieces 140 in place and can resist anylateral force pulling the L and M pieces 140 away from each other, or asshown in the embodiment illustrated, can restrict side-to-side movementbetween interconnected pieces, but may not necessarily restrict thepieces from being pulled away from one another. Various other shapes mayalso be incorporated into the connection mechanism based on the needs ofeach particular application.

As shown in FIG. 5, the L and M pieces 140 can have one or more holes110 that traverse through the L and M pieces 140 that expose the playingsurface underneath. In some embodiments, the shape of the holes 110 canbe substantially rectangular and the holes 110 can be spaced apart fromeach other on the L and M pieces 140. For example, the one or more holes110 on the M piece can be spaced apart each other. Similarly, the one ormore holes 110 on the L piece can be spaced apart from each other. Theholes 110 can expose the playing surface underneath and can be used totrace the lines of the marking apparatus 110 onto the playing surface.In some embodiments, the lines can be drawn on the playing surface byusing spray paint over the holes 110 or the lines can be drawn bytracing the holes with chalk.

Additionally, the L piece 140 can have an end 170 that can be used tohelp align the three point arc 120 with the key section 130 and thebasketball rim 160. For example, the end 170 can be aligned with ends152 of the key section 130 as described previously.

As mentioned throughout, embodiments of the present disclosure are notlimited to a marking apparatus for drawing lines for a half-courtbasketball playing surface. Some example embodiments may also include amarking apparatus for drawing lines on a playing surface for volleyball,tennis, hopscotch, four square, or pickle ball, but is not limited tothe these types of playing surfaces. Further, some example embodimentsmay also include a marking apparatus for drawing lines on a surface forother activities, including, but not limited to, lines on a parking lot,or lines for vehicle driving lanes on a street.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a marking apparatus for a pickle ball playing surfaceaccording to some example embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a marking apparatus 600 that can be used to create a fullpickle ball playing surface (e.g., a full pickle ball court). FIG. 7shows a marking apparatus 600 that can be used to create a half pickleball playing surface (e.g., a half pickle ball court). The markingapparatus 600 can be used to draw lines on various types of playingsurfaces, including but not limited to, concrete surfaces, grasssurfaces, hardwood surfaces, or asphalt surfaces. Various embodiments ofthe marking apparatus 600 may incorporates shapes, sizes, andmeasurements that can be consistent with various pickle ball playingsurface regulation measurements (e.g., distances between the lines).

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, according to various embodiments, themarking apparatus 600 can be made up of a number of pieces 640 (e.g.,connectable pieces). The pieces 640 can be made up of various materials,including, but not limited to, cardboard, aluminum, steel, wood, Mylar,and polycarbonate. Additionally, the pieces 640 can be made according tovarying sizes and shapes. The sizes and shapes of the pieces 640 candepend on the location of the pieces 640 within the marking apparatus600. In some embodiments, the shapes of the pieces 640 may incorporateprotruding portions 642 (e.g., a male end) and incorporaterecessed/concave portions 643 (e.g., a female end). Some pieces 640 mayhave both male ends 642 and female ends 643 while other pieces 640 mayonly have male ends 642 or only have female ends 643. The shape of themale end 642 can have a shape (e.g., a curvature) that corresponds tothe shape of the female end 643 (e.g., matches or follows the contour ofthe female end). The pieces 640 can form an interlocking connection withother pieces 640 by sliding or otherwise inserting the male end 642 of afirst piece 640 into the female end 643 of a second piece. Theinterlocking connection can secure the pieces 640 in place and canresist any lateral force pulling the pieces 640 away from each other.

In addition, each of the pieces 640 can include one or more holes 610(e.g., openings) that traverse through each piece 640. In someembodiments, the one or more holes 610 may traverse through a middle ofeach piece 640. In some embodiments, the shape of the holes 610 can besubstantially rectangular and the holes 610 can be spaced apart fromeach other on the piece 640. The holes 610 can expose the playingsurface underneath and can be used to trace the lines of the markingapparatus 600 onto the playing surface using a drawing device. In someembodiments, the lines can be drawn on the playing surface by usingspray paint over the holes 610 or the lines can be drawn by tracing theholes with chalk.

Further, each piece 640 can be labeled with an identifier such asletters A, B, C, D, etc. The identifier can be displayed directly on thepiece 640 (similar to as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5) and can be used toindicate the location of the piece 640 within the marking apparatus 600.

In the preceding description, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding ofvarious embodiments. It is apparent, however, that various embodimentsmay be practiced without these specific details or with one or moreequivalent arrangements.

It will be understood that when an element, layer, region, or componentis referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” anotherelement, layer, region, or component, it can be directly on, connectedto, or coupled to the other element, layer, region, or component, or oneor more intervening elements, layers, regions, or components may bepresent. However, “directly connected/directly coupled” refers to onecomponent directly connecting or coupling another component without anintermediate component. Meanwhile, other expressions describingrelationships between components such as “between,” “immediatelybetween” or “adjacent to” and “directly adjacent to” may be construedsimilarly. In addition, it will also be understood that when an elementor layer is referred to as being “between” two elements or layers, itcan be the only element or layer between the two elements or layers, orone or more intervening elements or layers may also be present.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the presentdisclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a” and “an” are intendedto include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms“comprises,” “comprising,” “have,” “having,” “includes,” and“including,” when used in this specification, specify the presence ofthe stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/orcomponents, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or moreother features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components,and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes anyand all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

As used herein, the term “substantially,” “about,” “approximately,” andsimilar terms are used as terms of approximation and not as terms ofdegree, and are intended to account for the inherent deviations inmeasured or calculated values that would be recognized by those ofordinary skill in the art. “About” or “approximately,” as used herein,is inclusive of the stated value and means within an acceptable range ofdeviation for the particular value as determined by one of ordinaryskill in the art, considering the measurement in question and the errorassociated with measurement of the particular quantity (i.e., thelimitations of the measurement system). For example, “about” may meanwithin one or more standard deviations, or within ±30%, 20%, 10%, 5% ofthe stated value. Further, the use of “may” when describing embodimentsof the present disclosure refers to “one or more embodiments of thepresent disclosure.” As used herein, the terms “use,” “using,” and“used” may be considered synonymous with the terms “utilize,”“utilizing,” and “utilized,” respectively. Also, the term “exemplary” isintended to refer to an example or illustration.

Various embodiments are described herein with reference to sectionalillustrations that are schematic illustrations of embodiments and/orintermediate structures. As such, variations from the shapes of theillustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniquesand/or tolerances, are to be expected. Further, specific structural orfunctional descriptions disclosed herein are merely illustrative for thepurpose of describing embodiments according to the concept of thepresent disclosure. Thus, embodiments disclosed herein should not beconstrued as limited to the particular illustrated shapes of regions,but are to include deviations in shapes that result from, for instance,manufacturing. For example, an implanted region illustrated as arectangle will, typically, have rounded or curved features and/or agradient of implant concentration at its edges rather than a binarychange from implanted to non-implanted region. Likewise, a buried regionformed by implantation may result in some implantation in the regionbetween the buried region and the surface through which the implantationtakes place. Thus, the regions illustrated in the drawings are schematicin nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the actualshape of a region of a device and are not intended to be limiting.Moreover, the drawings are not necessarily to scale.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. Itwill be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonlyused dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that isconsistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and/orthe present specification, and should not be interpreted in an idealizedor overly formal sense, unless expressly so defined herein.

The foregoing is illustrative of example embodiments, and is not to beconstrued as limiting thereof. Although a few example embodiments havebeen described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate thatmany modifications are possible in the example embodiments withoutmaterially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of exampleembodiments. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to beincluded within the scope of example embodiments as defined in theclaims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to coverthe structures described herein as performing the recited function andnot only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative ofexample embodiments and is not to be construed as limited to thespecific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications to the disclosedexample embodiments, as well as other example embodiments, are intendedto be included within the scope of the appended claims. The inventiveconcept is defined by the following claims, with equivalents of theclaims to be included therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A marking apparatus comprising: a key sectioncomprising a plurality of key section pieces, wherein each key sectionpiece comprises at least one of protruding portions or recessedportions, and wherein the plurality of key section pieces are configuredto be coupled with each other; and a three-point arc section comprisinga plurality of three-point arc section pieces, wherein each three-pointarc section piece comprises at least one of protruding portions orrecessed portions, and wherein the plurality of three-point arc sectionpieces are configured to be coupled with each other.
 2. The markingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein each key section piece and eachthree-point arc section piece further comprises one or more openings. 3.The marking apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a shape of the oneor more openings is substantially rectangular.
 4. The marking apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein a shape of the protruding portions of thekey section pieces is substantially similar to a shape of the recessedportions of the key section pieces, such that the protruding portions ofa first key section piece are insertable into the recessed portions of asecond key section piece to form an interlocking connection.
 5. Themarking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a shape of theprotruding portions of the three-point arc section pieces issubstantially similar to a shape of the recessed portions of thethree-point arc section pieces, such that the protruding portions of afirst key three-point arc section piece are insertable into the recessedportions of a second three-point arc section piece to form aninterlocking connection.
 6. The marking apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the key section further comprises a plurality of key sectionalignment pieces, wherein each alignment piece comprises an alignmentindentation.
 7. The marking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theplurality of key section pieces and the plurality of three-point arcsection pieces comprise cardboard material.
 8. The marking apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the plurality of key section pieces andthe plurality of three-point arc section pieces each comprises anidentifier.
 9. The marking apparatus according to claim 8, wherein theidentifier is a letter.
 10. A marking apparatus comprising: a pluralityof connectable pieces, wherein each connectable piece comprises at leastone of protruding portions or recessed portions, wherein a shape of theprotruding portions is substantially similar to a shape of the recessedportions, such that the protruding portions of a first connectable pieceare insertable into the recessed portions of a second connectable pieceto form an interlocking connection between the first and secondconnectable pieces.
 11. The marking apparatus according to claim 10,wherein each connectable piece further comprises one or more openings.12. The marking apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a shape of theone or more openings is substantially rectangular.
 13. The markingapparatus according to claim 10, wherein the marking apparatus furthercomprises a plurality of connectable alignment pieces, wherein eachconnectable alignment piece comprises an alignment indentation.
 14. Themarking apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the plurality ofconnectible pieces comprise cardboard material.
 15. The markingapparatus according to claim 10, wherein each connectible piececomprises an identifier.
 16. The marking apparatus according to claim15, wherein the identifier comprises a letter.
 17. A method for drawinglines on a surface using a marking apparatus, the method comprising:assembling the marking apparatus comprising a plurality of connectiblepieces, wherein each connectible piece comprises one or more openingsand an identifier; placing the marking apparatus on the surface; drawinglines on the surface by tracing the one or more openings of theplurality of connectible pieces of the marking apparatus using a drawingdevice; and removing the marking apparatus from the surface.
 18. Themethod of claim 17, wherein assembling the marking apparatus comprisescoupling each connectable piece of the plurality of connectible piecesto another one of the connectible pieces according to the identifier ofeach connectable piece.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein eachconnectable piece further comprises at least one of protruding portionsor recessed portions.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein a shape of theprotruding portions is substantially similar to a shape of the recessedportions, such that the protruding portions of a first connectable pieceare insertable into the recessed portions of a second connectible pieceto form an interlocking connection between the first and secondconnectable pieces.
 21. The method of claim 17, wherein a shape of theone or more openings is substantially rectangular.
 22. The method ofclaim 17, wherein the plurality of connectable pieces further comprisesa plurality of connectable alignment pieces, wherein each connectablealignment piece comprises an alignment indentation.
 23. The method ofclaim 17, wherein the plurality of connectible pieces comprise cardboardmaterial.
 24. The method of claim 17, wherein the identifier comprises aletter.